This invention relates to functionalized polyphenylene oxides; compositions of functionalized polyphenylene oxides and thermoplastic polymers; and compositions of functionalized polyphenylene oxides, thermoplastic polymers,and rubbers.
Compositions of polyphenylene oxide and thermoplastic plastic polymers are known. In particular polyphenylene oxide and polyamides compositions have been made as indicated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,379,792 and 4,338,421. Such compositions are brittle unless other additives are incorporated into the compositions.
Patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,086 and European Patent Application 0 129 825 disclose compositions of polyphenylene oxide, also known as polyphenylene ether,and polyamides. These disclosures indicate that it is known to include an additional additive to enhance the properties of the composition. It is conjectured that such an additive provides a reactive linkage between the polyphenylene oxide and the polyamide. This linkage has been presumed to be a graft linkage.
It is known that the impact resistance of thermoplastic polymers such as polyamide, and polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate can be improved by blending with elastomeric polymers. It is also known to add elastomeric or rubbery polymers to blends of polyphenylene oxide and polyamides where such compositions contain grafting agents. This is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,086.
It would be desirable to have functionalized polyphenylene oxides; and compositions of functionalized polyphenylene oxides and thermoplastic polymers.